


the future's so bright, I gotta wear shades

by auroraoraora



Series: King of the Animals [3]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Asahi is a fashion designer, Bokuto sings, Brotherly Bonding, Career Day, Engaged Couple, Engagement, M/M, Married Couple, Picnics, Police Officer Sawamura Daichi, Teacher Sugawara Koushi, YouTube, akaashi is a journalist, he also makes videos in his spare time, i tried to make it canon but then some stuff happened and I gave up, it's supposed to be like a video transcript, kuroo is a chemist, noya is a pilot, saeko is pregnant, this is all fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-17
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:01:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22287553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/auroraoraora/pseuds/auroraoraora
Summary: Stories set in the current manga era (2018, they're in their early-mid 20s.)1. Suga's class is having career week, and Daichi is the first guest.2. Asahi decides he wants to go public about his relationship with Nishinoya.3. Tsukishima thinks about the future.4. Kodzuken's coming out video.5. Bokuto's proposal, take 2.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Azumane Asahi/Nishinoya Yuu, Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou, Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi, Tanaka Saeko/Tsukishima Akiteru, Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Series: King of the Animals [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/560581
Comments: 25
Kudos: 333
Collections: My favorite haikyuu fics





	1. I want to touch the light, the heat I see in your eyes (Daisuga)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's career week for Suga's students, and Daichi is the first guest.

“Okay, kids! It’s Career Week this week, so this week I asked some of my friends to come in and talk to you about their careers, does that sound fun?”

“Yeah!” Koushi’s 24 students replied. Koushi knew it was a little too early for eight year olds to pick a career, but the administration wanted him to do it, so he didn’t really have much of a choice. Besides, it was fun trying to catch up with his old teammates and have them meet his kids- Asahi was scheduled for Wednesday, Tsukishima on Thursday, Ennoshita on Friday- he had no idea how he’d done it, but he even managed to get Kuroo from Nekoma to talk about his work in a science lab for Tuesday. But his favorite of all of them was up first.

“Mr. Sugawara?” A young girl raised her hand. “How do you have so many friends?”

“Well, Ami,” he started. “It’s because I joined a club when I was in school and I made friends that way.”

He would have said more, but there was a knock on the door. “I think that’s our first friend!” Koushi went to open the door, and there he was.

He never got tired of looking at Daichi in his police uniform. He’d only been a cop for about a year, but he had already lost count of all the times he had undressed his husband from it (it still stunned him that they were married sometimes). He couldn’t afford to think about that in front of the kids, though. He didn’t think they’d notice any physical reactions, but he definitely wasn’t willing to take the risk.

Daichi was looking at him funny, probably wondering what was wrong with him. He managed to compose enough to say, “Hello there! Would you please introduce yourself to the class?” _Time for all of the most important people in my life to meet each other. All I can do now is hope things go okay._ They had gone over the gist of what was expected the night before, and as long as he managed to hit the major points, Koushi would be satisfied.

Daichi cleared his throat before starting. “Right, well. I am Officer Daichi Sawamura of the Miyagi Police Force. My job is to make sure people are following the laws and solving crimes.” One of the boys, Motoki, raised his hand. “I wasn’t planning on answering any questions right now, but you have your hand raised, so let’s hear it.”

“Do you have a gun?” He knew that question would come up eventually, but he didn’t think it’d be the first one. “Have you ever killed anybody? Do you shoot a lot of people? Does blood really shoot out of people-” The boy looked like he was just getting warmed up with the question, but his teacher cut him off.

“Remember, Motoki, one question at a time. We’ve talked about this before. I’m sorry about this, Officer.” They had decided that they probably shouldn’t tell the kids that they were married, so they would stick to their professional titles. “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”

“No, it’s alright. Boys that age are always interested in guts and blood- I know I was. I do have a gun, but I don’t have it on me right now. I keep it in my patrol car when I’m not working. I haven’t killed anyone, but-” The look his husband was shooting him was telling him, _you are_ not _telling this story to a group of children, or you_ will _be sleeping on the couch tonight._ Koushi didn’t think the kids needed to hear about how Noya and Tanaka had tried to take Daichi’s gun from him and almost gotten themselves killed. “Looks like your teacher doesn’t want me telling this story. Does anyone else have a question?”

A girl, Tomomi, raised her hand. “Do you have a police dog?”

“Yes, I do. His name is Takeo. I have some pictures, if anyone wants to see.” With some help, he was able to hook his phone up to the projector so the whole class could look at the same time. While Daichi was talking to the kids, Koushi couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction. He was glad that his kids liked his husband. At the first few schools he had interviewed at, they had lost interest in him when he said he was engaged to another man, but thankfully they were able to find a school in Miyagi that didn’t care about his sexual orientation. He knew Daichi would have transferred to another prefecture if need be, but he didn’t want to uproot their life together when it was just getting started.

Koushi had been kind of zoning out until he heard a certain question. “Mr. Sugawara told us that he got married over our summer vacation. Do you know who he’s married to?”

None of the students could tell, but Koushi knew when his husband was embarrassed. He had the same look he’d had all those years ago, when the vice principal’s wig had flown onto his head. Koushi sounded like he was coughing, trying to hold back his laughter at the idea that he could be married to someone who wasn’t this man. Even if Bokuto had almost ruined his wedding, he still wouldn’t change anything. Koushi had come back to school slightly sunburnt and he’d told the kids that he had gotten married. Ever since then, the kids had been trying to figure out what kind of person he was married to, and now they’re asking the man himself.

“Can we please keep questions on topic?”

The lunch bell rang before anything else could happen, and Koushi had to guide the children to the lunch room. Koushi came back a few minutes later, knowing they only had about 15 minutes before Daichi had to go back to the station. Koushi had brought their lunches with him to school, and they ate mostly in silence, but occasionally Koushi would talk about the other guests that were coming later in the week, or anything that needed to be done around the house.

* * *

The children had been disappointed when they came back from lunch and Officer Sawamura was nowhere to be found. Kissing him goodbye had made him feel like a housewife, but he supposed there were worse feelings that could be had.

During math class, Tomomi had raised her hand again.

“Is Officer Sawamura your husband?”

Oh. Well, they had decided not to tell, but the situation changed when the kids figured it out on their own.

“Tell him we’ll beat him up if he’s ever mean to you!”

“Yeah, you got it right. Officer Daichi is my husband. No making violent threats to him, though. That’s a bad thing to do.”

“Does that mean we don’t have to do math?”

“Not a chance.”


	2. keep on whispering in my ear, tell me all the things that I wanna hear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asahi decides he wants to go public about his relationship with Nishinoya.

The world of Japanese fashion is one that is not really known to outsiders, but occasionally, there is a designer that will be able to break out and be seen around the world.

One such designer, known only to the world as Asahi, was one of those.

He rarely appeared in public, only being seen at Tokyo Fashion Week or at his store. (There was a brief rumor of him appearing at an elementary school in Miyagi, but that was commonly assumed to be a lie.) The rest of the time, people would speculate, wondering why such a handsome man would want to hide from the world. His brand, Azunoya, was on top of the game, so why wasn’t he out celebrating?

* * *

Asahi entered his apartment building, brushing his hair out of his eyes. Yuu hated the way his hair looked when it was down, but it made him unrecognizable, making it a lot easier to live normally. Tokyo was scary enough without having to deal with people following him everywhere he went. He wouldn’t be able to bear it if they went after his fiancé, too.

Luckily, he still had a few days before Yuu was leaving again. His job as a pilot kept him away for long periods of time, but he knew Yuu loved traveling the world and valued his independence. Asahi could never ask him to quit, even if he would rather have him home all the time. Plus, Yuu said they couldn’t have reunion sex if they were never apart, and he couldn’t really dispute that logic.

Their wedding was in just a few months, anyway, and then they would have a full two weeks together. All the separation would be worth it after they exchanged vows.

“Hey, Asahi!” Yuu called out to him, the way he always did when he came home to him. “I read an article about you today.”

“Oh? What did it say?”

“The usual. ‘Asahi is so good-looking, why doesn’t he show his face more? He could model the clothes if he wanted to, he needs to get home and get pounced on by his suffering fiancé-”

“I think you added some extra things, Yuu.”

“I get bored when I’m here by myself.”

Asahi couldn’t help but laugh before continuing. “I want to design clothes, but I really don’t want to be in the spotlight. I don’t need to be admired by a lot of people. I only need it from one person.”

Yuu already knew who he was talking about, but he still asked, “Who’s that?”

“Yuu, I am talking about you.”

“I bet there’s tons of people who wouldn’t let me have my job- especially when they make money like you do. We would probably get by even if I didn’t work, but I want to, and your support means a lot to me. Plus, I like having you all to myself, and being the only person to know you are-”

“You’re not, though. Everyone from Karasuno knows, and probably some of the other schools, and-”

“I meant it more like most people out there don’t know you, and I get why you want it that way. Sometimes I want to show you off, though, to tell people you’re off the market. I’m happy like this, but if you ever decide you want to be more public, I’ll be there for you all the way, like how it’s always been.”

Asahi couldn’t help but to tear up a little after hearing that. Yuu was always there for him whenever he needed him, even calling him from halfway across the world if needed. Asahi never wanted it to end.

* * *

**Two Months Later**

_Azunoya is live right now! Watch before it’s over!_

_The video opens with a man sitting on a couch. He looks to be in his mid to late twenties, his hair in a bun, facing the ground. He is wearing a black dress shirt, his sleeves rolled up to the elbow and no tie. He looks nervous, but determined at the same time._

_“You need to start talking,” a voice whispers to him. “You asked me to film you, but I won’t if you’re not going to say anything.” The man startles at this, but begins to speak._

_“Uh… I-I-I-” He clears his throat. “Hi, I’m Asahi. I-I heard people wanted to know more about me, so… I thought I would maybe say something. I’m Asahi, I’m 24, I’m a Capricorn, I-”_

_Another voice, different from the first, interrupted him. “Were you planning on mentioning me?” A small man launched himself into the frame, placing himself in Asahi’s lap without hesitation. “I’m Yuu, and I’m Asahi’s fiancé. Asahi wasn’t going to put me in at first, but I was able to change his mind. I’ve seen some of those thirst tweets about him, and I just want to say-”_

_“Okay, Yuu, I don’t want you to yell at anyone-”_

_“You are all very creative, I think they’re hilarious, and I can’t say I’ve never called him daddy before-”_

_Asahi hid his (burning red) face into his hands and sighed. “Please, no more talking about things like that. My heart can’t take it.”_

_All Yuu could do was smile. “You heard the man. Tone down the thirst, okay? Asahi is a very gentle soul, he can’t handle this.”_

_“Okay, I think that’s enough for today. I would like to do another live sometime, but I don’t know when it would be. Maybe in a few weeks or months. I don’t know if Yuu will be there, but it’ll be fun anyway.”_

_Azunoya’s livestream is over. Watch something else?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to make the end part kind of like a video transcript. Hopefully it works because that's what the whole KuroKen chapter is like.  
> (I almost said that Noya yeeted himself into Asahi's lap, but that didn't really fit the mood. It's a great image, though.)


	3. I’d hate to look into those eyes and see an ounce of pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsukishima thinks about the future.

Kei Tsukishima didn’t know how to admit it, but he was nervous.

He has been with his current partner, Tadashi Yamaguchi, since they were 17 years old. That was five years ago, and things were going great, but lately, he felt that he wanted more.

Ever since attending two Karasuno weddings, and seeing the engagement announcement of their former ace and libero, he found himself wanting that with Tadashi. Logically, he knew his boyfriend wouldn’t turn him down, but he couldn’t help but imagine himself being rejected, and the sadness he would inevitably feel if Tadashi ever left him. He didn’t think he would ever find anyone else that he could love if his partner ever realized that he could do so much better, and he found that he didn’t want to, either.

Kei knew that if he was going to propose marriage to anyone, he would have to lay his feelings bare, something he’s never done before. Even if they’ve known each other since they were 9 years old, Kei has never told him how he realized that Tadashi was the one for him.

Luckily, he has someone that can give him some help.

* * *

“I never thought this day would come. My little brother, asking me for advice about anything, especially something as important as a marriage proposal!”

Kei stood up and moved toward the front door. “Alright, I’m leaving.”

“Kei, I was just kidding! Really, it’s great that you came to me for help. Probably because I’ve successfully proposed before. We should call Ryu, too! He can help!”

“I would rather die than ask him for help with anything.”

“Oh, don’t be like that! He’s successfully proposed, too. Plus, he’s our brother now, so we should include him in things.”

“Only by marriage.”

Kei still had no idea how it had happened, but Ryunosuke Tanaka was married to somebody, their wedding only a couple months after Daichi and Suga’s. Three days after the second wedding, his “best bro friend,” Yuu Nishinoya, had proposed to his own partner, Asahi Azumane. _If those two morons can propose, then why can’t I do it?_

“I don’t even have to ask why Tadashi. I watched the two of you grow up together.”

“Don’t make it sappy.”

“I thought working in a museum would make you nicer. I guess I was wrong.”

“I don’t give the tours. I work in the archives. You already knew that. As for Tadashi, I pretty much already know what I want to do. I just need help with the ring.”

Just then, the door burst open. “Sup, bitches. Heard you needed my help!” Tanaka had largely abandoned his delinquent appearance, but, like his older sister, he still found ways of working it in. “Aki texted me, saying you were finally popping the question! Yamaguchi’s going to love it!” He took off his leather jacket as he sat down at the table.

“Let’s get one thing clear. I neither need nor want your help. Honestly, I’m amazed your wife puts up with you.”

“Don’t you think I know that? I still pinch myself every morning when I wake up and she’s there next to me.”

“Tadashi’s wanted to go on a picnic. I’m doing that. I just wanted help with the ring, but maybe I’d be better off by myself. I gave one of his coworkers 500 yen to measure his finger so I could get the size right. I don’t think I need anything else.”

“You came over here so I could help, and I’m gonna help! Let’s all go to the jewelry store together!”

Saeko burst into the room, stomach first. “Hey, quit your yelling!” she yelled. “You’re gonna wake up the baby!”

“The baby isn’t even born yet, how can I wake it?”

Saeko glared fiercely at her brother. “Wake her, you mean. Let your niece sleep.”

“Want to come to the jewelry store with us, babe? Kei is proposing to Tadashi, he wants help picking something out.”

“I said I was going by myself. You’ll all just end up breaking everything.”

In the end, Kei went to the jewelry store with his (biological) brother.

* * *

“Hey, Yamaguchi, the manager wants you in her office.”

Tadashi had never been called to the manager’s office for anything before. _Am I fired? Did I fill out my spreadsheet wrong? Did a client complain about me?_

He was so nervous that he couldn’t even listen as the manager, a woman in her early 40s, was talking. Finally, he heard her say the words “go home early.”

“Am I fired?”

“No, of course not! All of your clients have spoken very well of you. Your boyfriend called and said there’s been an… issue at home, so you need to go take care of it. He said he’d come pick you up. You can just take a half day today.”

“I drove here today, though.”

“That’s fine. We won’t tow you, but make sure you grab your keys just in case you don’t get back until after close.”

As Tadashi went to the staff room to grab his things, he wondered what sort of issue could be happening at their apartment that would require him to leave work early. _Tsukki is better at handling that kind of stuff than I am, so why would he need me?_ As he walked outside, he almost walked right past his boyfriend, only noticing when he felt a hand on his arm.

“Are you feeling alright, Tadashi?”

“I’m fine, Tsukki. What’s going on at home?”

“Nothing, actually. I just asked your boss to come up with an excuse to send you home early, and I guess that’s what she chose. We’re going on a picnic. I made food.”

“You had my boss send me home early so you could take me out? That’s so sweet! I was kind of scared that our place was flooded or something, but… you know, I’m not going to worry about it. It’s so nice out, I just want to enjoy the day.”

“Good.” _Oh, you’ll enjoy it, alright…_

* * *

“This is the park where we met! And you said you didn’t remember. Tsukki, you’re so romantic.”

“Most people we know would disagree.”

“What did you make, anyway? Did you purposely have them send me home when I was about to go on break?”

“No, but I’m glad it worked out that way.” Kei opened the picnic basket only to find, on top of the picnic blanket he’d been about to spread out, a small black box.

“Tsukki, what’s that on top?”

Tadashi could count on one hand the amount of times he’d seen his boyfriend embarrassed. Usually he was as composed as could be, but right now was a different story. “It’s- uh… it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.” As Kei went to put the ring into his pocket, Tadashi stopped him.

“It’s obviously not nothing, if it’s making you blush so hard. Nothing makes you blush, ever. I know you too well for that to work on me.”

“Do you know how long I’ve loved you?” Kei asked instead. “I realized it when we were first years back at Karasuno, but I didn’t pull my head out of my ass to do anything about it until we were in third year. And here we are now, having just finished college. I know you have some bad memories here, but I wanted to give you a good one. I should have done this on graduation day, and I was planning on waiting for dessert, but this is as good a time as any.” The blond got down on his left knee and opened the box. “Tadashi Yamaguchi, will you marry me?”

Tadashi’s eyes seemed to turn into faucets, the way he had started crying. “Yes, Tsukki! Yes!”

“You can’t call me Tsukki anymore after we get married,” Kei told him as he put the ring on Tadashi’s finger. “Well, if you decide to change your name. You don’t have to, but… you know, I’m not going to worry about it right now. We can think about that later.”

_I just want to enjoy the day that you said you’d be mine forever._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tsukishima is the embodiment of that "Aight, Imma head out" meme.  
> I love the entire concept of the Tsukishima-Tanaka family, so I just had to include them.  
> Thanks for reading!


	4. I can't help it, you're my kind of man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kodzuken's coming out video. (Kuroo also has a YouTube channel where he does science experiments in his spare time.)

_Notification from YouTube_

_Kodzuken just uploaded a new video!_

_An announcement._

The video begins with a man, in his late teens or early twenties, sitting on a bed. He is dressed for comfort, in a black hooded sweatshirt, his hair, mostly black with blond ends, in a bun. He looks nervous for a brief moment, before he starts talking. There is some text on the screen that reads “Previously on Kodzuken Plays.”

“My computer’s going to finish updating in a minute here, so I have time for one more question. ‘I’m also a fan of Black Tail Science, and the host, Kuroo, mentions you a lot. Actually, he mentions you in almost every video. Do you know him? He’s kind of obsessed with you. Do you think he’s in love with you?’” Kodzuken turns his head to the side and sighs, but a hint of fondness can be felt, as well. “That’s a secret. I can’t say right now, but I will in the future.”

There’s a quick cut to black, and white letters on the screen read “Six Months Later”.

There’s a cut, and Kodzuken is now sitting in a computer chair, wearing a similar outfit as before, his hair now down. The video quality is noticeably better than before. “So I guess now is the future. I’ve known Kuro since we were in elementary school. I’ll pull up a picture.” A picture of two young boys playing volleyball is on the screen. “I wouldn’t be the person I am today without him. If he hadn’t pulled me out of my shell all those years ago, I’d probably be a shut-in or something. He’s the most important person in my life for sure, besides my parents. And that’s why, this spring, I…” He is fidgeting, looking nervous.

“I… I agreed to marry him.” He holds up his left hand, a plain gold ring on the third finger. “He asked me out when I was a senior in high school, and he was a college freshman. Or maybe I asked him out? I don’t really remember. It hasn’t always been easy, but I’m definitely happy. I tend to identify as demisexual and demiromantic, and he’s the only person I’ve been comfortable enough with to be with, in any sense. So, to answer your question, I don’t think Kuro loves me. I know he does. And I love him, too.”

There’s another cut, and another man, larger than the first, is now in the frame. He wears a black t-shirt and blue jeans, but his most distinguishing characteristic is his hair; most of it is spiked up, but a small portion of it covers his right eye. “Ken pretends he doesn’t like me, but I know the truth. He calls me Tetsu off-camera, you know. I’ll come home from work- my day job, that is- and he’ll ignore me for a while, but then he’ll sit in my lap when I least expect it. He’s just like a cat, it’s very cute.”

“That’s never happened before.”

Kuroo pulls out a smartphone and begins swiping through it. “No, you have. Bokuto sent me a picture, see?” He moves to hold his phone up to the camera, but Kodzuken takes the phone and locks it before the screen can be seen. “All you’re doing is delaying the inevitable. I’ll just show the picture on my own channel. I don’t have as many subscribers as you, but I’ve gone viral a few times! It’s on my resume.”

“You actually put that on your resume? You are so lame. Why are you like this? I don’t think I can marry someone that lame.”

“You knew what I was like when I proposed, and you still accepted, so what does that make you?”

“The wedding is still six months away. It’s not too late to cancel.”

“You wouldn’t. You love me too much. You were the one who wanted to pay for the whole thing so we wouldn’t have to save up and wait longer.”

Kodzuken turned to the side, embarrassed. “It’s just easier that way,” he said while yawning. “I’m getting tired, I’m taking a nap before dinner. That seems like a good place to end the video. Be sure to subscribe to both me and Black Tail Science for more content. If Kuro behaves himself, he can come back for another video. Thanks for watching Kodzuken, and until next time, see you, space cowboy. Or girl. Or cow- I still haven’t come up with a good one for enbys yet.”

* * *

Comments (4,703)

Alex 4 hours ago

So are we merging fandoms with the Kubroos?

+763

55 replies

Junko 3 hours ago

I think there’s already a lot of overlap, but yeah, I think there will be more now

+320

Itsyaboimakki 2 hours ago

Kodzuken said enby rights

+218

Kuroosavedme69 1 hour ago

Never seen a Kodzuken video before, but Kuroo kept recommending him, so I thought I’d watch one. He is really cute! Definitely wasn’t expecting Kuroo to show up. Their relationship is so sweet! I’m subscribed now!

+651

420razeit 45 minutes ago

Welcome aboard! We’re a pretty chill fandom, usually- people will probably be going crazy for a few days now thanks to this announcement, but it’ll be back to normal pretty soon

+612

Rainbow 18 minutes ago

New idea for a Black Tail Science video! Kuroo teaching Kodzuken about lab safety! His clothes would never be allowed in a university science lab, so it would be fun to see Kuroo getting him ready for science

Edit: Congrats guys! You’re #2 on trending!

Edit 2: Holy shit I am literally crying right now Kuroo responded to my comment I see the light at the end of the tunnel I am getting this tattooed on my face backwards so I can see it in the mirror every day I want this on my gravestone

+507

Black Tail Science 10 minutes ago

If Ken agrees to it, it could happen

We tried to do a gaming video once, but the gaming headset messed up my hair

I’m always glad to hear about people getting interested in science!

+952

Fruitspunchsamurai 8 minutes ago

Why is nobody talking about the baby Kodzuken and Black Tail Science Picture????? THey're so cute I'm taking both of them home with me

+120

Blackjackalsfan 5 minutes ago

I’ve noticed this for a while, but I haven’t had the chance to say anything until now. Kodzuken sponsors the Black Jackals VB team, and their outside hitter, Bokuto, has appeared in a few of Kuroo’s videos before (he’s the guy with the spiky black and white hair.) So, Kuroo and Bokuto are good friends (they say they’ve known each other since high school) and Bokuto and Hinata (Kenma’s friend, the cute orange haired middle blocker) are also friends, so… friend square?

+97

Dan 2 minutes ago

HOLY SHIT MIND BLOWN

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if Kenma would ever actually come out publicly- half of me thinks he'd just be like, "here's my fiance lol"  
> Kuroo's resume under special skills: "I am internet famous- I have trended on YouTube before"  
> Black Tail Science: the kanji for Kuroo translates into English as "black tail"


	5. when the sun shines, we'll shine together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bokuto's proposal, take 2.

It isn’t the first time that Kotaro Bokuto has asked Keiji Akaashi to marry him.

There was no way it could possibly be worse than the first time.

He had been so caught up in the romantic atmosphere at the Karasuno captain and vice-captain’s wedding, along with the three beers he had drank in the first fifteen minutes (a dare from Kuroo), that he had tried to propose to Keiji during the reception. He was told later that his boyfriend had dragged him out into the hallway and lectured him for a solid 20 minutes about how badly he’d screwed up. Kuroo claimed he could hear Keiji screaming at him from down the hallway whenever there was a lull in the music, but Kotaro felt that he would remember that, even in his drunken state. That would explain why Keiji’s voice had been hoarse the next day, though.

The next time he had seen the newlyweds, they said they weren’t mad at him, but that was probably because Keiji had gotten on his knees and bowed all the way down to the floor for about 10 minutes, until the two had told him to stop.

Not for the first time, Kotaro wondered why Keiji even wanted to talk to him, let alone date him. _Do I even deserve to ask him to marry me? He could find someone better than me in no time. But since he hasn’t left me yet, I still have a chance, right?_

* * *

During the next practice, Kotaro had brought the idea to his team.

“I understand if you guys wanna say no, but… the next time we win at home, I want to propose to Keiji.”

“You mean like, at the stadium? Dude, why? It smells like cheese farts. Why would you want to get engaged there?” One of the spikers, Oliver Barnes, had asked. “I mean, no offense, but… I would never pop the question to my girl at that nasty ass stadium.”

“And, I may be wrong, since I don’t know him very well, but he seems like he would hate being proposed to in public,” a setter, Atsumu Miya, pointed out. “Things could go really badly if you did that.”

“Don’t worry, Bokuto! I’ll help you out!” Shoyo Hinata, Kotaro’s favorite former member of Karasuno, called out.

“Thanks, my little protégé! Even if nobody else wants to help me, if I have you, I’ll do just fine!”

“We never said we wouldn’t help you,” Oliver replied. “I was just questioning your location choice, but if you’re going to be like that, then maybe I won’t help.”

“No, no, please help me! I’m so lucky I have guys like you on my side, helping me out! I don’t know what I’d do without you!”

“You mean, besides fail horrendously and end up alone forever?”

“Fuck off, Miya!”

“No thanks, you’re not my type. And judging by Akaashi, I’m not your type, either.”

“Honestly, I’m still not sure if I’m actually gay or bi or whatever, or if he’s so attractive that I’m just going along with it. And at this point, I’m too afraid to ask.”

“I think the fact that you’re even considering asking Akaashi to marry you is proof that you’re at least slightly into guys, even if you’re not completely gay. I’m straight, and yeah, Akaashi is a good looking guy, but I don’t think I’d want to go to bed with him or anything.”

“Yeah, cause I’d kill you.”

“That’s not the point I was trying to make, but okay. Do we want to come up with a proposal plan, or are we just going to argue about stupid shit? Cause we only have time for one.”

“So I was thinking, could we ask him to come play with us?”

* * *

Keiji Akaashi had no idea why his boyfriend, Kotaro Bokuto, invited him to play volleyball with his team.

_Kotaro is a professional player, and I haven’t played since high school. At least I was able to get out early today._

Keiji’s job as a journalist didn’t leave him with a lot of free time. He was in charge of writing the script for the local news. They had tried to get him to be an anchor, but he had refused, not wanting to deal with any attention from strangers. Their offer to be a foreign correspondent had been a lot more tempting, but if both he and Kotaro were traveling, they might go months at a time without seeing each other, and their relationship probably wouldn’t last under the strain.

He had been humiliated when a drunken Kotaro had tried to propose to him at the Sawamura-Sugawara wedding. But he couldn’t deny that, if the circumstances had been different, he would have accepted. He wasn’t happy that he had nearly ruined a wedding, but after the first day or so, he was really only pretending to be angry.

Keiji adjusted his tie as he walked into the team’s practice building. He had only been there a few times, but normally the place was relatively populated. Now, however, it was nearly deserted. The receptionist, a kind woman named Masami, had told him to go to Gym B, which had struck him as odd. Why would she tell someone in a business suit to go straight to the gym?

He got his answer when he (eventually, he almost got lost a couple times) made it to Gym B. He opened the door and was surprised when it was completely dark inside. Just as his eyes were starting to adjust, a spotlight shone down onto the empty bleachers on the side and a song began to play over a stereo system.

It started with a drum beat and a voice rapping. He was pleasantly surprised to see Kotaro’s young disciple, Shoyo Hinata, was the one rapping.

_And now we got Mr. Sunshine, Bokuto, where you at?_

Kotaro had walked down from the top of the bleachers, dressed in the same suit he had worn to the wedding. And now he was… singing? The song seemed to be about how the singer is rich and famous (kind of a stretch, but he won’t think about it), but is still dedicated to their partner.

He wasn’t the best singer ever by any means, but his dedication was unparalleled. It amazed him that Kotaro was willing to go to the effort of doing something like this for him. The chorus used weather as a metaphor for the good and bad parts of a relationship.

As the next verse began, some men he recognized as Kotaro’s teammates, also wearing suits, came out and started dancing behind him.

As the chorus began again, Kotaro had started walking down the steps, carrying an umbrella with him. Just as it reached the line, “You can stand under my umbrella,” he walked over to Keiji, opened the umbrella, and held it over the two of them. As he reached the bridge, he tossed the umbrella off to the side and grabbed Keiji’s hand. Kotaro sang directly to him, saying he’d be all Keiji needed and more.

As the chorus began for the last time, more men in suits came out and started dancing. He recognized all of them- former teammates at Fukurodani, Kuroo, Yamamoto- Kenma was on the sidelines, but not part of the dance.

Kotaro stops singing as the song fades out, looking uncharacteristically… shy? Scared? Over the years, Keiji has seen many of Kotaro’s emotions, but this one, whatever it is, is a new one.

It only lasts for a moment, though, as he sees a flash of recognition going across Kotaro’s face- this is the face he makes when he’s just remembered something.

He suddenly gets something out of his pocket and gets down onto his left knee.

“I know I’m not always the best boyfriend and I embarrass you sometimes, but I really do love you. So that’s why I want to ask you, will you stand under my umbrella?” He opened the box that he was holding, a gold band inside of it. “Or maybe I should say it like, Keiji Akaashi, will you marry me?”

Keiji laughed. “Well, last time I rejected you because you were drunk and you proposed during somebody else’s wedding reception. Neither of those things are happening now, so… I’m going to say yes.”

“Dude, did you seriously get wasted and hijack someone else’s wedding?” Keiji could hear Kuroo’s wheezing laughter, but he was choosing to ignore it.

“Shut up, Miya! I hadn’t been to a wedding before- I didn’t know you weren’t supposed to do that!”

“I think that’s why we weren’t invited to the other Karasuno weddings. I don’t think Tsukishima will invite us to his wedding, either, when they start sending out invitations.”

Kuroo finally stopped wheezing long enough to say, “I would laugh so hard if Sawamura and Sugawara pretended to get re-engaged at your reception, just to get back at you.”

* * *

**One Week Later**

“Kotaro, your dance is on the team’s YouTube channel.”

“Oh, really? I wasn’t planning on having it filmed, but I guess someone did.”

“It’s really good quality too. Maybe someone had one of the team’s videographers to do it.” Akaashi had paused, noticing something strange. “It says it was uploaded three days ago, but it’s been viewed… ten million times.” Keiji had clicked on the video and was now reading comments. “It looks like Kenma mentioned the video in one of his livestreams, which would explain a lot. And it-” Keiji had completely frozen in place, mouth hanging open in shock.

“Keiji, what’s wrong?” Kotaro came over to look, half expecting to see some stupid homophobic comment, before realizing that he probably wouldn’t be reacting like this. The comment chain he found, however, was very… interesting.

_OMG how did Bokuto land that gorgeous man_

_I’m a straight guy but if he was trying to switch me he would probably succeed_

_I’ve never met him but I would die for him_

“Really, Keiji? You always do this whenever someone says you’re attractive! That’s why they keep asking you if you want to be on TV at work.”

“I don’t want the attention. You give me enough as it is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter title is from Rihanna's "Umbrella," which is also the song that he's singing (Hinata is rapping the Jay Z verse)  
> I feel like Atsumu and Bokuto would fight all the time, but they're also really good friends who have each other's backs.  
> I wrote a good portion of this chapter on my phone, and the notes app kept wanting to "correct" Akaashi to "Akaaaashi." It knows Bokuto too well.

**Author's Note:**

> I've never gotten this amount of positive feedback in such a short amount of time before! I'm always happy to see that people are enjoying the story.  
> Marking as complete for now, but I'm not finished with this setting yet. I have a story about Shiratorizawa coming pretty soon, (it'll be it's own work- it's kind of long) maybe in about a week or so? And I'm about halfway through an IwaOI, but research is taking longer than I thought it would (a good amount of it takes place in South America- Oikawa is going on a road trip/ race for Iwa-chan's love- not sure about word count yet- it'll probably be its own work too, but I don't know yet)  
> I also haven't ruled out a KageHina, either (picture: Kageyama, age 22, freaking out: "Oh shit, I think I'm in love with Hinata")  
> Thank you to everyone who is leaving kudos, bookmarking, or even just reading (even if it was an accidental click, I'll take it)  
> ~Aurora


End file.
